Top comb motion



Nov. 29, 1932. F. L. cRocm-T' 1,889,435

T01 COMB MOTION Original Filed June 21, 1929 R. BY fm/M 11 /QWW' Ma?.

Patented Nov. 29, 19.32

yUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRANK L. oRocxETT, or' EAST DOUGLAS, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOE To wH'ITnv MACHINE WORKS, OE WHITTNSVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OE MASSA- CHUSETTS TOP COMB MOTION -Application led June 21, 1929, Serial 1115.872614.` Renewed-March 21, 1931.

The invention is an improvement in Heilman type combers, more especially in the top comb motion, and involves the principle of actuating such comb by connection with the detaching mechanism or with a part appurtenant to or moving with Such mechanism including also the arrangement. of parts according to such principle, whereby the comb can be easily placed in position for convenient cleaning, with its teeth in a forward position, or removed entirely, if desired, and quickly replaced in operative position.

The drawing illustratesl one form of the invention, Fig. 1 being a transverse vertical section through one of the combing heads of a multi-head comber omitting details and Fig. 2 a section on II--II of Fig. 4 with the top detaching roll and top combin their rearward position. F ig. 3 a plan of the top support of the top comb bracket, shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and Fig. 4 a front view of Fig. 1, parts broken out.

Y Without limitation to this particular embodiment, it is described as follows: The nipper frame 1 is suspended by front links 2 and rear links 3 from pivotal supports 4 and 5 on the upper portions of the intermediate' frame uprights of the machine andso that it may Swing from its forward Yor detaching position shown in Fig. 1, to its rearward or combing position, shown in Fig. 2. It is oscillated between these two positions by a crank arm 6 on a. rockshaft 7 which extends the length of the oomber and will be understood to be appropriately driven by the drive-head at the end of the machine. This type of nipper design is the Subj ect of a prior Patent No. 1,671,101 and forms no part of the present invention which is independent of the manner in which, the, nippers are mounted and operated. The nipper frame carries the usual nipper knife (shown in dotted lines in Fig..1), fulcrumed on axis 8 to nip the lap againstthe cushion Vplate 9 and alsothe lap feed roll 10, and it also carries the means for actuating these rolls and for conducting the lap to them as well as other appurtenances, omitted from the .drawing for sake of clearne'ss and also because not related to this invention. `It will be understood that the various parts may be sent `the 'proj ecting tuft alternately to the "i action of the comb cylinder 101 and to the detaching rolls 11 and 12 by which it is drawn off and detached from the body of the lap and pieced with previously combed tufts thereby forming a continuous combed sliver.

The lower detaching roll marked 11, is mounted in fixed bearings on the framing and will be understood to be driven alternately forward and backward by a piecing motion in the drive head at the end of the machine, the forward motion being longer than the rearward, so that in conjunction with the top detaching roll 12, these rolls operate as described and according to the Heilman principle. The top detaching roll 12 is held on top of the bottom roll 11 by means of two stirrups 13 of bell crank form, each r'itting over the gudgeons Or gudgeon sleeves 12 of' that roll. These stirrups are fulcrumed at 14 on the upper ends of the link supports 15, pivoted to the framing at 16, and their lower ends are constantly pulled forward by links 17 connected to weighted levers 18 so that the roll 12 is thereby pressed downwardly upon the bottom detaching roll 11 by the lpressure v of the weights on levers 1S. The fulCr-um axis ,14, of the stirrups 13, is Sustained in position and also oscillated back and forth `bysconnecting rods 19, connecting it to the swinging nipper frame, so that the top detaching roll 12 is thereby traversed back and forth over the surface of the bottom roll 11, once for each nip. The forward position is shown in Fig. 1 and the rearward in Fig. 2. As the top roll moves forwardly the rolls rotate forwardly to detach the tuft, and thenreverse their rotation Vso that the tail end of thev dethe tuft is brought into the action of the top comb, whereby the rear ends of the libres are combed and straightened. It is either raised into the teeth of the top comb, or the comb is lowered to meet it or they are brought together as the result of both movements.-

According to this invention, the top comb is directly operated by the detaching mechanism, more particularly by the traversing detaching roll and is thereby ,moved back and fort-h maintaining at all times a fixed or at least a predetermined distance from it according to accurate adjustment initiall made. The comb blade proper marked 2O is secured to a cross bar 2l with provisions for vertical adjustment thereon and the latter is secured by its ends to the cheeks 22, with provisions for angular adjustment thereon. The upper ends of these cheeks 22 are supported on or guided by two studs 23 and their lower ends are crotched (24) to embrace or engage the gudgeon sleeves l2a (Fig. 2) of the top detaching roll 12, both supports for the top comb being thus in a forward position. As herein shown the studs 23 support the weight of the comb and the crotch bearings 24 do not seat on the gudgeon sleeves, although they might. The studs also in the present case constitute the means for depressing the comb so as to cause it to meet and penetrate the tuft, although they are not required to perform this function. Vhen so used they are sup-` ported on short crank arms 25 (Fig. 3) projecting rearwardly from the front nipper links 2. As the nipper frame swings forward these studs are lowered and thereby lower the cheeks 22 and hence drop the top comb teeth into the tuft; as the frame swings backward for cylinder combing the studs 23 raise the top comb so as to keep it clear of the next feed of lap. In such movement the crotches 24 of the top comb move vertically with reference to the detaching roll.

The bearings in the comb cheeks for the two studs 23, are preferably elongated as slots 26, sol that the comb may be lifted vertically from its working position, and out of engagement with the detaching mechanism, the slots riding on the studs. The comb structure can then be swung forward on the studs and slid backwards on them to the position indicated by the dotted lines of Fig. i, in which position it will be seen that it rests in a horizontal position with its teeth pointing forwardly and well above the nippers, where they may be easily cleaned or straightened if necessary. No hook or latch is necessary to hold it in this position. By disengaging the slots from the studs 23 the whole top comb structure can be bodily removed from the machine; this may be done either by making the studs with knurled heads as shown and movable endwise out of the slots 26, which is preferred, or by making suitable escape openings for them in the cheeks, as will be understood.

F rom the principle of the invention which has now been made apparent, it will be observed that it is a matter of preference only that the lower ends of the top comb cheeks enga-ge the gudgeon sleeves of the detaching roll and it will be understood that the invention comprehends broadly the mounting of the top comb in the manner described without limitation to the particular embodiment shown in the drawing, except as distinctly pointed out in the appended claims and further that the primary function of the studs 23 is to support or guide the upper ends of member of the detaching mechanism and being thereby adapted to preserve a constant relation to said detaching mechanism.

2. In a Heilman-type comber the combination of the nippers, comb cylinder and a traversing detaching roll, with a top comb structure mounted for movement away from its normal working position to permit easy cleaning of its needles, said structure having a part near its needle-carrying end which is normally engaged with a member appurtenant to and moving back and forth with said detaching roll whereby the motion of the detaching mechanism is imparted to said top comb needles, and means independent of said mechanism for imparting lift to said top comb.

3. In a Heilman comber, the combination of the nippers, comb cylinder and a detaching roll, with a top comb and top comb cheeks on which the same is mounted, said cheeks having a support adjacent to said roll and another support above said roll.

t. In a Hellman-type comber, the combination of the nippers, comb cylinder and detaching roll, with a top comb structure, a lower support for said structure located adjacent to the axis of said detaching roll, an upper support for said top comb structure located above the comb cylinder and means independent of said lower support for imparting lift and fall to said top comb structure.

5. In a Heilman-type comber, the combination of the nippers, comb cylinder and a traversing detaching roll, with a top comb connected with said roll to be actuated thereby and pivotally and slidingly supported above it.

6. In a Heilman-type comber, the combination of nippers, comb cylinder and top detaching roll, with a top comb having one point of support located adjacent said roll and another point of support above it and means for depressing one of said supports to cause top comb penetration.

7. In a Heilman-type comber, the combination of a traversing detaching` mechanism and a cheek-supported top comb blade, the cheeks having a crotch engagement with a part of said detaching mechanism` v 8. In a Heilman-type comber, the combination of the top detaching` roll and a top comb having a crotch engaging a part moving with said roll and having another support on which said comb may be swung to substantially horizontal position for cleaning.

9. In a Hellman-type comber, the combination of the nippers, combing cylinder and detaching mechanism ot a cheek-supported top 1 comb blade, said cheeks having engagement with a part oi"l the detaching mechanism for control thereby and provided with portions engaging studs on which they may be swung and slid for top comb cleaning. f

10. In a Heilman-type comber, the combination of a nipper comb cylinder and detaching roll, of a top comb structure comprising cheeks supported at their lower ends on parts adjacent to said roll and at their upper ends on studs located directly above the comb cylinder, andprovided with slots to ride on said studs.

11. In a Heilman-type comber, detaching mechanism, a top comb blad-e, a cross bar on which it is vertically adjustable and a pair of cheeks on which said blade-supporting bar is angularly adjustable, said cheeks being removably engaged with said detaching mechanism.

l2. In a Heilman-type comber, the combination with the comb cylinder and top detaching roll, of an oscillating nipper system, connector means whereby said system traverses said roll and a top comb oscillated by power transmitted through said means, said comb being vertically supported by said nipper system and moved thereby toward the tutt.

18. In a I-Ieilman comber, the combination with an oscillating nipper-system, a comb cylinder and a detaching mechanism, of a top comb directly engaged with a part of said detaohing mechanism and also engaged with a crank arm on said nipper system and moved by the latter transversely to the path of the tuft.

14. In a Heilman-type comber, the combination of an oscillating nipper system, comb cylinder and detaching motion, with a cheeksupported top comb blade, the cheek having crotch engagement with a part of said detaching mechanism and slot engagement with a vertically moving part carried by said nipper system.

l5. In a Heilman-type comber, the combination of a nipper system, comb cylinder and detaching mechanism, with a top comb structure, a lower part of said structure having removable engagement with said detaching mechanism and an upper part having sliding engagement with a supporting stud, and said stud being endwise movable in its support to permit removal of the top comb from the comber.

16. In a I-Ieilman comber having a comb cylinder and detaching mechanism, a top comb structure the lower part of which is removably engaged with a member by which it is moved back and forth, and the upper part of which is provided with a stud and slot connection on and by which said structure is both pivotally and slidingly supported, the stud member of said connection being movable endwise relatively to its co-acting slot thereby adapting said structure to be lifted out of the machine.

17. In a Heilman comber the combination of a comb cylinder, a swinging nipper frame, a detaching roll, a top comb structure having a part near its needle-carrying end normally connected with said detaching roll but separable therefrom and having a part near its opposite end whereby it is supported on said nipper frame.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

FRANK L. CROCKETT. 

